Mobile Police Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs

Apr 24th, 2012

On Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Mobile Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.

The public is invited to bring medications for disposal to Mobile Police Headquarters, located at 2460 Government Street. The service is free and anonymous - no questions asked.

Last October, Americans turned in over 377,000 pounds - 188.5 tons - of prescription drugs at over 5,300 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. In its three previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in almost a million pounds of prescription medication.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U. S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. In addition, Americans are now advised their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines - flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash - pose both potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, please contact Mobile Police at (251) 208-1918 or visit www.nationaltakebackday.com.